Rail anchor



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BOLANDIS A. BLAIR, 0F FORT VJAYNRVINDIANA RAIL ANCHOR Application filed. 'May 6, 1929, Serial No. 369,752. Renewed August 3, 1931.

My invention relates to rail anchors of the type having a tight gripping engagement with a railroad rail and adapted by a bearing on a cross tie or other fixed part of a 5 track to hold the rail from longitudinal movement. lt is one of the obj eots of my invention to provide a new and improved arrangement otanchor comprising two part-s one of which, made of comparatively sott l@ steel, cooperates with the other member formed of hard steel in such manner as to have high efficiency while being at the same time of 4comparatively low cost of manufacture.

E5 it is another object of my invention to provide an in N`iroved construction for enabling the anchor to iit and tightiy grip rails of slightiy diii'erent dimensions To this end, it is one ot the objects of my invention to pro-vide a reonorcement tor the gripping parts the ed Oje of the rail so arranged that such parts shari have tight holdingengageg nient with the rail at any point witoin a fairly wide range ot adjustment transversely of f the rail. lt has been one oi the objects of' my invention te, provide an arrangement of parts comprising a. bar with one end portion turned baclrwardly to provide a jaw inember, together with cooperating means by which the ar member is held from swinging as a whole away from the bar when the anchor forced into position on the flange of a raii rving thus to cause the distortion of the parts to be distributed along the bar and the jaw instead of taking place principally at tbe return bend portion., the parts beingthus capable of bending very much t'afther without permanent distortion than is the case when the bending takes place principally at any one point Y Vit is one oi the objects ot my invention to f v and improved arrangement of' nl; a bar with one end portion aving an upwardly extending por- `h agement with the fiange at that when anchor is driven gripping position, in which vided for reenforcing the jaw oppos e ond adapted to lhave for preventing theupward swinging of the jaw as a whole with respectto the bar at the time when the greatest distortion Atakes place ust before the upwardly extending lug reaches its holding position in engagement with' the edge of the flange of the rail. o

It is another object or my invention to provide a construction of this type in which thejaw is limited in its upward movement with respect to the bar by its engagement with an abutment plate, suoli abutment plate being preferably held in Xed position on ythe flange of the rail by^its engagement with the jaw member. It is a further object to provide a construction of this type in which the abutment plate also engages the flange for reenforcii and strengthening the structure, and for providing :i strong supplemental grip on the rail. H

lt is another object of my invention to im* prove Vdevices of this type in sundry details hereinafter pointed out. The preferred means by which I have accomplished vmy several objects are illustrated in the drawing n u u 'Air and are hereinafter specifically described. o That which l believe to be new and desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the claims.

In the drawing,'- 8U Fig. l is a top plan view of the preferred form o my Vimproved anchorin position upon a fragmentary portion of'a rail, the tread lportion of which has been broken away for clearnessof illustration;

Figp isa vertical Vsection taken at line 242m? Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a view similiar to Fig. Qbut showing the parts in the position in which the parts stand at an intermediate pointin the 90 operation of aiiplying the anchor to a rail;` and f i l .Y i

Fig. die :i side view oi my improved anchor in condition 'for shipment or storage, the same being shown upon a reduced scale. 95

Referring' tothe several Figures of the. drawing, in which corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference characters, il() indicates a rail supported. by al plurality of cross ties ll.

. '..'013` My improved rail anchor comprises a bai' or strip 12 of high carbon or spring steel having one end portion turned backwardly upon the bar flatwise thereof to form a gripping jarv 13, the normal position of the aw 13 being shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The opposite end portion of the bar 12 is turned upwardly to provide a lug 14. The construction is such that the jaw member as described has a driving t upon the flange of the rail, the movement of the javv 13 up the diagonally disposed top face of the flange serving` to force the arm or jaw 13 upwardly so as to receive the fiange between the portion of the bar 12. The arrangement is such that when the jaw member reaches its operative gripping position upon the flange, the lug 14 snaps upwardly into engagement with the edge of the-flange as shown in Fig. 2.

In conneetionwith the jaw member 12, I have provided an abutment plate member, preferably formed of loiv carbon steel. I have found that the ordinary connnercial gradeof sheet steel is satisfactory, for use. Myabutment plate, in the construction 'f shown, comprises a piece of sheet steel bent into the form of a channel, comprising a web portion 15 and leg portions 16 and 17, each of the. leg portions ot the channel being pro'- vided. with a notch 18 in its tree end having a Working fit upon the flange of the rail. The web portion 15 of' the abutment plate member is provided with an opening 19 therethrough at a point opposite the notches 1 8 for receiving the bar 12 and the jaw 3 therein, such parts being inserted through the opening from the right as the parts are shown in Fig. 2.

For the application of my improvedl anchor to a rail for which the anchor is designed, the `bur 12 and jaw 13 are first inserted through the opening 19; the abutment pla-tei is then applied to the ed of the rail as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. and the j aw member is driven b y the application of' a blow. or blows on the return bemlportion seas to bring the jaw member into operative gripping position. The size of the opening 19 is suoli that as the jaw member is driven toward its operative position on the rail, the cross bar portion of the abutment plate above the opening 19 serves to prevent the ia-W 13 from moving to any material extent as a Whole awayv from the bar 12. The arrangement is such that the distortion of' the metal necessary for the f application of' the anchor to the rail is distributed fairly evenly throughout the length of the jaw 13 and the bar 12 in some such relation as that shown in Fig. 3, with very little it any such distortion taking place at the return bend portion. The result is that the jaw member as a Wholecan be subjected to a very great distortion in the aggregate Without danger of any permanent distortion at any point, even when the lug 14 is made of considerable length so as to provide an extended bearing upon the edge of the flange in the final operativo position ot the parts.

By the use of means serving to limit the upward swinging of the gripping jan* 13 with respect to the bar 12 so as to prevent permanent distortion of the an' member at any point, and particularlyv at the return bend portion, I am enabled to provide a. construction in which the jaw member is adapted to have a very strong grip upon the rail regardless of slight irregularities or variations in either the Width or thickness of the fiange. The jaw 13 is designed normally to stand in such position with respect to the bar 12 as to cause the device to have a driving fit upon the flange of the smallest portion of rail likely to be encountered within the .latitude o1a allowable variations in the manufacture of rails. The arrangement is such that the jaw member has an effective holding grip upon the flange either when driven to the point Where the lug 14: can snap upwardly into operative position upon the Widest rail likely to be met or when driven to position for snapping upwardly upon a slightly narrower rail such as will be found in practice. By the use of the reenforcing member serving to limit the up- Ward snf'inging of the jaiv for preventing permanent distort-ion o'f the parts as above described. the grip of the device on the fiange is sufficiently strong to meet all requirements upon any variation of size of rail such as may be expected.

By the use ofthe notches 18 in the leg portions of the channel coi'nprising the abutment member, the abutment plate is held very tightly in position upon the flange of the rail, being held from backing transversely off the flange b v a vredgiug engagement with the jan* 13 and bar 12 which are spaced at a greater distance from each other adjacent to the. return bend portion than at the elleetivc gripping portions. By my (,onstruction oi" abutment plate member comprising the legs 16 and 17 at opposite sides of the jaw member. the anchor is adapted for either a ri ght-hand or left-hand use. IVhen the rail 10 tends to move longitudinally so as to press one of the abutments 16 or 17 against the cross tie 11, the notch -18 in such abutment, in cooperation with the side edge portion of the lug 14, applies a very strong shackle grip upon the side faces of the flange of the rail.y as is Well understood in connection'ivith devices of this type, serving thus very strongly to oppose such longitudinal movement of the rail. Moreover. the abutment member has a strong gri p on the rail independently ot any swinging movement of the anchor about a vertical axis. lith the plates 16 and 1T held in close engagement with the flange by tho action of ther aw member comprising the bar 12, the grip ofthe jaw member is very materially supplemented by the gripping action of the plates 16 and 1T whereby it is made unnecessai'y to use an exceedingly heavy bar for the jaw member.

T he arrangement of my improved anchor is such that it is capable of being removed readily from a rail when desired, it being only necessary to pry the end of the bar 12 downwardly adjacent to the lug 14 and then to drive the anchor out of operative position by a. series of blows on the outer face of the lug. rl`he arrangement is such that, upon reapplication of the anchor in the same position or in a changed position, the anchor again assumes an operative grip upon the rail, this result being attainedparticularly by reason of the fact that the distortion of the parts is distributed Widely as above described in the application of the anchor tothe rail. lt Will be understood that a similar distribution of the distortion takes place upon. the removal of the anchor from the rail.

1n the preparation of the anchor for shipment, one of the jaw members comprising the bar l2 and the iavv 13 is preferably inserted in the opening 19 and driven lightly into position as shoivn in Fig. 4 for holding the two parts together by their frictional engagement7 the gripping member being driven even beyond its normal operative position with respect to the abutment member if necessary in order to establish the desired frictional engagement. By this expedient the anchor is capable of being shipped and handled as a unit, having thus the advantages of one-piece construction. v

Bv the use of my construction and arrangement I am enabled to produce a veiy effective anchor by the use of a comparatively small. amount of material, only a portion of ,Y such material lbeing of special specifications.

lVhile I prefer to employ substantially the construction as shown in my drawing and as above described, itis to be understood that I do not desire to limit my invention to the form shown except so far as the claims may7 be so limited by the prior art, it being understood that changes might Well be made in the form of the device Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim l. A rail anchor comprising in combination a jaw member adapted to have gripping engagement with the flange of a rail, means carried by said jaw member adapted by engagement with the opposite edge of the `flange when said jaw member is in operative gripping position on the rail to prevent said iaw member 'filoni backing transversely from the rail` rand `an abutment plate formed separately from said jaw member and held by engagen'ient With said jaw member and said rail in fixed position with respect to said aw member and in vertically disposed position on the rail for engagement With a cross tie.

2. A rail anchor comprising in combination'a jaw member adapted to have gripping engagement with the flange of a rail, means carried by said aiv member adapted by engagement with the opposite edge of the flange when said jaw member is in operative gripping position on the rail to prevent said jaw member from backing transversely from the rail7 and an abutment plate formed separatelv from said jaw member adapted to engage the flange of thei'ail adjacentv to said jaw member and to be held in fixed position on the flange by its engagement with said jaw member.

A rail anchor lcomprising in combination a. jaw member having a driving fit on the flange of a rail, an upwardly extending lug carried by said jaw member adapted to snap into engagement with the opposite edge of the flange when said jaw member is drivenA into operative. gripping position on the rail, and a separately formed abutment plate having a notch adapted to engage the flange f of the rail at one side of the jaw member and held by the jaw member in Afixed position on the rail With the notch'closely embracing the flange.

4. A iail anchor comprising in combination a a-W member adapted to have gripping engagement With the flange of a rail, means carried by said jaw member adapted by engagement With the opposite edge of the flange when said jaw member is in operative gripping position on the rail to prevent said jaw member -from backing transversely from the rail', and a separately formed abutment plate provided With a notch having a close fit on the flange of the rail at one side of' the jaiv member and held by the jaw member in fixed position on the flange.

5. A rail anchor comprising in combination a jaw member adapted to have gripping engagement with the flange of a rail, means carried by said jaw member adapted by engagement with the opposite edge of the flange when said jaw member is in operative gripping position on the rail to prevent said jaw member from backing transversely from the rail, and a separately 'formed abutment plate in the form of a channel having notches in the leg portions adapted to engage the flange of the rail at opposite sides of the jaw member and to be held in fixed position on the flange by its engagement with said jaiv member.

6. A rail anchor comprising in combination a aw member having-a driving lit on the Vflange of a rail, an upwardly extending lug carried by said jaw member adapted to snap into engagement with the opposite edge of the flange when said aw member is driven into operative gripping position on the rail. and a separately formed abutment plate in the form of a channel having notches in the ends of the leg portions having a close fit on the flange at opposite sides of the j aiv member, said abutment plate being held in fixed position on the rail by engagement with said jaw member.

7. A rail anchor comprising in combination a aw member having a driving fit on the flange of a rail, an upwardly extending lug carried by said jaw member adapted to snap into engagement with the opposite edge of the flange when said jaw member is driven into operative gripping position on the rail, and a separately formed abutment plate in the form of a channel having notches in the leg portions having a close fit on the flange of the rail at. opposite sides of the jaw member and extending substantially to the web of the channel whereby such web in the operative position of the anchor on the rail stands substantially in engagement with the edge of the fla-nge of the rail, said abutment plate being held in position on the rail by its engagement with said jaw member.

8. A rail anchor comprising in combination a `iaw member formed of high grade steel and adapted to have gripping engagement with the flange of a rail, means formed integrally with said jaw member adapted b y engagement with the opposite edge of the flange when said jaw member is in operative gripping position on the rail to hold said jaw member from backing transversely from the rail, and an abutment plate formed of low grade steel adapted to engage the fla-nge of the rail adjacent to said jaw member and held in fixed position on the flange by its engagement with said jaw member.

9. A rail anchor comprising in combina tion a jaw member formed from a strip of high grade steel and havingone end portion bent baclnvardly on the strip to provide a jaw having a driving fit on the flange of a rail, and having its opposite end portion positioned for having a holding engagement with the edge of the rail flange when said member is driven into operative gripping position thereon, and an abutment plate formed of sheet metal separately from said jaw member adapted to engage the flange of the rail adjacent to said jaw member and held in fixed position on the flange by its engagement with said jaw member.

10. A rail anchor comprising in combination a. jaw member formed from a thin strip of high grade steel and having one end portion bent baclrwardly on the strip flatwise of the strip to provide a jaw having a driving fit on the flange of a rail, and having its opposite end portion turned upwardly so as to snap into engagementvf'ith the edge of the rail flange when said meml er is driven into operative gripping position thereon, and an abutment plate formed separately from said jaw member and held by engagement with said j aw member and said rail in fixed vertical position with respect to the jaw member for engagement with a, cross tie.

11. A rail anchor comprising in combination a bar; turned -backwardly upon itself at one end providing a gripping jaw7 and means engaging said turned back jaw at a point removed from its end serving when the device is in operative position on a rail to limitl the upward movement of the j aw with respect to the bar.

12. A rail anchor comprising in combination a bar turned backwardly upon itself at one end providing a gripping jaw, and means engaging anrintermediate portion of the jaw serving when the jaw is forced outwardly with respect to thev bar tocause the distortion to be distributed along the bar and the jaw with very little distortion taking placed at the return bend portion.

13. A rail anchor comprising in combination a bar turned baclzwardly upon itself at one end providing a gripping jaw, and means engaging the jaw atan intermediate point some little distance from the return bend portion and engaging the bar at a directly opposite point serving substantially to prevent distortion at the return bend portion when the jaw is forced outwardly with respect to the bar.

14. A rail anchor comprising in combination a bar turned backwardly upon itself at one end providing a gripping jaw7 means carried by said bar adapted to have holding engagement with the opposite edge of the flange when said aw is driven into operative gripping position on a rail. and means engaging the jaw at an intermediate point in spaced relation to the bearing of said jaw on the upper face of the rail flange and engaging thebar at a point in spaced relation to said upwardly extending lug serving to prevent any material upward swinging movement of the jaw as a whole with respect to the bar when the anchor is driven into operative gripping engagement with the rail.

15. A raid anchor comprising in combination a bar, a gripping jaw on said bar in spaced relation thereto, means carried by said bar adapted to h ave holding engagement with the opposite edge of the flange when said jaw is driven into operative gripping position on a rail, and an abutment plate member having an opening through which said j aw and said bar are insertable serving to prevent any material upward swinging movement of the aw as a whole with respect to the bar when the anchor is driven into operative gripping engagement with the rail.

16. A rail anchor comprising in combination a bar, a gripping jaw onl said bar in spaced relation thereto, means carried by said bar adapted to have holding engagement with the opposite edge rof the flange when said jaw isdriven into operative gripping position on a rail, and an abutment plate member having a portion provided with a notch engaging the flange of the rail and having another portion in angular relation to said first named portion and provided with an opening through which said jaw and said bar are insertable serving to prevent any material upward swinging movement of the jaw as a whole with respect to the bar when the anchor is driven into operative gripping engagement with the rail.

17. A rail anchor comprising in combination a bar turned backwardly upon itself at one end providing a gripping jaw, means carried by said bar adapted to have holding engagement with the opposite edge of the flange when said aw is d 1iven into operative gripping position on a rail, and an abutment plate member having an opening through which said and said bar are insertable but through which they are unable to pass coinpletely, said plate by its engagement with mtermediate portions of the jaw and bar serving to prevent any material upward swinging movement ofthe'j aw'as a whole with respect to the bar when the anchor is driven into operative gripping engagement with the rail7 and said jaw serving by its engagement with said opening to hold the abutment plate in fixed position on the rail.

18. A rail anchor comprising in combination a gripping bar, a jaw adapted byvcooperation with said bar to grip the flange of a rail, and means engaging said j aw substantially at the edge of the flange of the rail serving to reenforce the j aw with respect to the gripping bar and limiting the upward movement of the jaw away from the bar.

19. A rail anchor comprising in combina tion a gripping bar7 a jaw adapted by cooperation with said bar to grip the flange of a rail, a cross bar extendingacross the upper face ofthe jaw, and substantially rigid means for holding said cross bar in fixed position above said gripping bar for limiting the upward movement of the jaw away from the gripping bar.

20. A rail anchor comprising in combination a gripping bar turned backwardly upon itself at one end providing a jaw adapted to have a driving fit on the flange of a rail, and an abutment plate held by engagement with the rail and the 'bar in fixed vertical position with respect to the bar for eective engagement with a cross tie, said abutment plate comprising substantially rigid means for limiting the upward movement of the turned j aw portion with respect to the bar.

2l. A rail anchor comprising in combination a gripping bar, a jaw on said bar in spaced relation thereto adapted to have a driving lit on the flange of a rail and an abutment plate adjustable longitudinally of said bar and said jaw and comprising means ef'- fective at different adjusted positions therealong for limiting the upward movement of the jaw with respect to the bar said plate being held by engagement with the rail and the bar in fixed vertical position with respect to the bar for effective engagement with a cross tie.

22. A rail anchor comprising in combination a bar, a gripping jaw on said bar in spaced relation thereto, and a reenforcing member having an opening therethrough into which said bar and jaw are insertable for limiting the upward movement of the jaw with respect to the bar whereby the jaw and bar may be driven into tight gripping engagement with the flange of the rail.

23. A rail anchor comprising in combination a bar, a. gripping jaw on said bar in spaced relation thereto, and a plate having an opening therethrough into which said bar and jaw are insertable for limiting the upward movement of the jaw with respect to the bar, said plate havingl a notch therein adapted to engage the flange of a rail upon which said gripping aw is driven for holding the plate in fixed position with respect to the rail, the arrangement being such that said gripping jaw and said notch have tight gripping engagement with said rail when driven into operative position thereon.

24. A rail anchor comprising in combination a bar turned backwardly upon itself at one end providing a gripping jaw -for engaging one edge of the flange of a rail. and having means at its opposite end portion adapt-ed to have holding engagement with the edge of' the flange when the jaw driven into operative gripping position on the rail, and a plate having an opening therethrough into which said bar and jaw are insertable for limiting the upward movement of the jaw with respect to the bar, and having a. notch therein adapted to engage the flange of the rail7 said plate being held in close proximity to the edge of the flange by its engagement with said bar and jaw.

25, A rail anchor comprising in combination a bar turned backwardly upon itself` at one end providing a gripping jaw for engaging one edge of the flange of a rail, and having means at its opposite end portion adapted to have holding engagement with the edge of the flange when the jaw is driven into operative gripping position on the rail, and a plate in the form of a channel having an opening through its web portion into which said bar and jaw are insertable for limiting the upward movement ol the jaw with respect to the bar, and having notches in the leg portions adapted to engage the flange of the rail with the web portion in close proximity to the edge of the flange, said plate being held in operative position by its engagement with said bar and jaw.

26. A rail anchor comprising in combination a bar turned backwardly upon itself at one end providing a gripping jaw for engaging one edge ofthe flange of a rail with iso Vee

the jaw normally closer to the barV at its free end portion than at the return bend portion, means at the opposite end portion of the bar adapted to have holding engagement with the edge of the flange when the jaw is driven into operative gripping position on the rail, and `a reenforcing member having an opening therethrough into which said bar and jaw are insertable for'limiting the upwardmovement of the jaw with respect to the bar whereby said reenforcing member serves to tighten said-gripping jaw on said flange when driven into operative position thereon and whereby the gripping memberserves to hold the reenforcing member in operative position on the rail.

27. A rail anchor comprising in combinationa bar turned backwardly upon itself at one end providing a gripping jaw for engaging one edge of the flange of a rail with the jaw normally closer to the bar at its free end portion than at' the return bend portion, means at the opposite end portion of the bar adapted to have holding engagement with lthe edge'of the flange when the jaw is driven into'operative gripping position on the rail, and a plate having an open-- ing therethrough into'which said bar and'jaw are insertable for limiting the upward movement of the jaw with respect to the bar whereby said plate serves to tighten said gripping jaw on said flange when driven into operative position thereon, said plate having a portion turned at an angle and provided with a notch therein adapted to engage the flange of the rail, said gripping member serving by its engagement with the plate to hold the plate in operative position on the rail.

28. A rail anchor comprising in combination aA bar turned backwardly upon` itselfl at one endproviding a gripping jaw for engaging one edge of the flange of a rail withthe jaw normally closer to the bar at its free end portion than at the return bend portion, means at the opposite end portion of the baradapted to have holding engagement with'the edge of the flange when the jaw is driveninto operative gripping position on the rail, and a plate in the form of 'achannel havingv an opening through its web portion into which said bar and ]aw are insertable for limiting the upward movement of the jaw with respect to the bar, and having notches in the leg portions adapted to engage the flange of the rail with the web portion in close proximity to the edge of the flange, said plate being held in operative position by its engagement 'with said bar and j aw.

29. A rail anchor comprising in combination a cross bar, a resilient jaw movable toward and from the cross bar at one end of said bar and arranged for receiving the flange of a. rail between the cross bar and the jaw, and reenforcing means engaging said resilient aw at an intermediate point therealong serving` to hold such intermediate engaged portion of the aw at such a maximum distance from the cross bar that upon the application of the anchor to the rail the jaw is displaced upwardly at its end relative to such intermediate engaged portion.

30. A rail anchor comprising in Combination a cross bar, a resilient aw movable toward and from the cross bar at one end of said barand arranged for receiving the flange of a rail into gripping engagement between the cross bar and the jaw upon a movement of the Cross bar and jaw transversely of the rail into position thereon, and reenforcing means engaging such resilientjaw at an intermediate point therealong serving to limit movementof such engaged intermediate portion of the jaw away from the cross bar whereby the jaw is distorted downwardly at such intermediate engaged portion when the free end of' the j aw is forced upwardly in its movement along the top face of the flange of the rail.

31. A rail anchor comprising in combination a cross bar, a resilient jaw movable toward land from said cross bar at one end portion thereof and arranged for receiving the flange of a rail integri pping engagement between the cross bar and the j aw upon a movement of the cross bar and aw transversely of the rail into position thereon, the point of engagement of the j aw with the cross bar being in spaced relation to said flange at the side ofthe rail, and reenforcing means engaging such resilient jaw at an intermediate point therealong serving to limit movement of such engaged intermediate portion of the jawaway from the cross bar whereby the jaw is distorted downwardly Aat such intermediate engaged portion when the'free end of' the jaw is forced upwardly into its final operative engagement with the top face of the flange of the rail.

'32. A 'rail anchor comprising in combination a. cross bar, a resilient jaw movable toward and from said cross bar at one end portion thereof and arranged vfor receiving the flange of a rail into gripping engagement between the cross bar and the aw upon a movement of the cross bar and jaw transversely of the rail into position thereon, the point of engagement of the jaw with the cross bar being in spaced relation to said flange at the side of the rail, reenforcing means engaging such resilient aw at an intermediate point therealong serving to limit movement of such engaged intermediate portion of the jaw away from the cross bar whereby the jaw is distorted downwardly at such intermediate engaged portion when the free end of the aw is forced upwardly into its final operative engagement with the top face of the flange of the rail, and means held in position with respect tothe rail by engagement with the rail and with said reentorcing means serving by engagement with a Fixed portion ot the track to hold the rail from longitudinal movement.

33. A rail anchor comprising in combination a bar turned upwardly and backwardly upon itself at one end into substantially resilient wedge form, an abutment plate member having spaced bearings between which the body and the turned back portion of said bar are inserted serving by a wedging action to limit movement ot said abutment plate member toward one end or" the bar, and means carried said abutment plate member .tor gripping the base flange oi' a rail, said bar being adapted to engage tee base tlange ot' the rail at its opposite edge portion for holding said gripping means in operative rail gripping position.

34. In a rail anchor, the combination of a bar turned upwardly and backwardly upon itself at one end into substantially resilient wedge torni, an abutment plate member comprising means for gripping the base tia-nge oi a rail and having spaced bearii for mounting the member movably on the bar with one ol the bearings engaging the body ot the bar below the level of the bottom tace ot' the rail and the other engaging the turned back portion of the bar above the level of se. id bottom 'tace ot the rail serving by a wedging action to limit movement ot' the abutment plate member toward one end ot the bar, said bar being adapted to engage the base flange of the rail at its opposite edge portion tor hold` ing said gripping means in operative rail gripping position.

35. A rail anchor comprising in combination a channel member having notches in the edges of the oppositely disposed legs in position on one edge of the base flange of a rail, and a bar extending across underneath the rail for holding the channel member in position on the flange, said bar having operative engagement with the edge ot' the flange at one side of the rail by means of a lug extending upwardly on one end of the bar opposite said edge ot the flange and having operative engagement with the channel member at the opposite end ot the bar for holding said channel member in position on the iange by means ot' an arm portion turned backwardly into convergent relation to the body of the bar into a wedging relationship therewith.

36. ln a two-part rail anchor, the combination ot' an abutment plate member, and a transverse bar turned upwardly and backwardly upon itself at one end providing a a jaw whose top tace converges toward the Opposite end of the bar with the bottom tace of the bar, adapted by engagement with said abutment plate member to hold said member in position on a rail and adapted by a trictional wedging engagement with said abutment plate member to be held in unit relationship therewith for shipment.

37. In a two-part rail anchor, the combination of an abutment plate member provided with oppositely disposed cross bars in vertically spaced relation to each other, and a transverse bar adapted by engagement between said cross bars when the device is on a rail to hold said abutment plate member in operative position on a rail and adapted by engagement between said cross bars when the device is prepared for shipment to be. connected with the abutment plate member for shipment as a unit therewith.

38. In a two-part rail anchor, the coinbination ot an abutmentplate member provided with oppositely disposed spaced bearings, and a transverse bar having an upwardly and backwardly turned arm thereon adapted by engagement with said bearings when the device is on a rail to hold said abutment plate member in position on the rail and adapted by resilient engagement between said bearings when the device is prepared for shipment to be releasably connected with the abutment plate member for shipment as a unit therewith.

ROLANDIS A. BLAR. 

